Specialist literature

Prof. Dr. Krista Mertens

"Snoezelen - in action"

Prof. Dr. Krista Mertens

About the book

The book is divided into three parts. Part one outlines neurological as well as didactical and methodical foundations of Snoezelen. In part two the author provides information about the equipment with detailed examples. The appendix contains a detailed checklist, summarising all criteria. Finally part three is all about the practice of Snoezelen. Prof. Dr. Mertens illustrates a mixture of examples for courses teachers and other professionals may use for their practical work with different target groups. Each unit lasts approximately 60 minutes and can easily be subdivided into several modules. People buying the book are mainly occupational and physical therapists but also staff from old people´s and care homes, hospices and rehabiltation clinics. Many facilities caring for people with mental disabilities - children, adolescents and adults - have a Snoezelroom. Furthermore Snoezelen is increasingly applied in nurseries and schools. Two further books have been published by the author: "Snoezelen - apllication fields in practice" and "Snoezelen - entering a new world".

About the author

Prof. Dr. Krista Mertens studied in the interdisciplinary border area connecting Special Education, Medicine, and Physical Education. She received an Education degree for primary and secondary schools as well as Special Education, and thaugt the subjects Biology, Political Science/History, Art, Physical Education and Crafts for more then ten years. The author was a lecturer at the Institues for Special education in Marburg and Würzburg, and was employed at the Institute for Physical Education and the Institute for Rheabilitation and Special Education at the University of Gießen and in the Education Department of the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. She was a Professor at the University of Applied Sience in Darmstadt. In 1996, she spent six months as a visiting Professor at the Boston University. Since 1994 she has been a Professor at the Institue for Rehabilitaion Sciences at the Humboldt-University in Berlin. Her main interests in research and teaching are in the areas of education through movement, psycho-motor skills, perception development and promotion, the design of exterior and interior spaces, and the improvement of the quality of life for the elderly and the disabled. After a total of over ten years of experience working with Snoezelen, she has been convinced of the positive effects of Snoezelenrooms in pedagogical and therapeutic work with people of all ages, and to provide a solid theoretical and didactic basis for the way this intervention functions.

The International Snoezelen Association (ISNA) warmly recommends this book.

The book is an extension to the book “Snoezelen – Eine Einführung in die Praxis” (An introduction into Practice) and published by the same publisher. The author has been working for years with the founder of Snoezelen, Ad Verheul, on a national and international level and together they have developed the concept of Snoezelen further. In the first part the beginnings of Snoezelen are described with the aid of as yet unpublished photographs. The original “philosophy” of the Dutch concept has been extended to today’s standards. Duties, responsibilities and perspectives for the work that lies ahead, lead to the second chapter. This chapter describes research projects, observational and test procedures to measure efficiency as well as recording biometric measurements (B. Meffert) as it is necessary to confirm and scientifically underpin the educational and therapeutic application of Snoezelen. The third part explains the application of Snoezelen for different target groups. There are three practical sessions for each target group including in-depth objectives. Most suggestions can easily be transferred to other target groups. Detailed reference and music lists conclude the book. The book is aimed at teachers, therapists, psychologists, health professionals and anybody who wants to get involved with Snoezelen or is already familiar with the practical side of Snoezelen.

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